Fitocracy 101
Post originally written by Mephysteaux '' What is Fitocracy? Fitocracy is a social fitness game that encourages users to start, maintain, and advance their fitness training by setting up a reward system based on the model used by role playing games (RPGs) for decades - Users are awarded points for their exercises, and are assigned a level based on how many points they've earned. Having this added incentive and public accountability, many people have found, is a good way to keep on track, especially when the results of a fitness program are often very gradual and sometimes less than encouraging in and of themselves. Part One: Logging Your Exercise To log your exercises, first go to the Track page, by clicking the Track tab on the top of the screen at the main site. Finding Exercises The simplest way to find an exercise, if you know what it's called, is to enter its name in the text field near the top-left corner. Note how if you enter a partial name, all exercises that contain what you enter come up. Select the exercise you wish to track. So, let's say I did some Push-Ups. I've typed "Push" into the text field, and all exercises with "Push" in the name are listed, and I can select Push-Ups from the list. Exercises can also be found by selecting the muscle group it works, equipment, or category below. I also found Push-Ups by selecting "Chest". Knowing Your Equipment One important aspect of logging your exercises is knowing what equipment you're using. While there are many exercises that have analogous versions using different equipment that may seem the same, they do actually work your body in different ways. *'Dumbbells: Short handles (Can only be gripped with one hand), weighted at each end. Typically a fixed weight, but adjustable dumbbells can be found. When logging dumbbell exercises, be sure to only log the weight of one dumbbell, and the number of reps per side - So, if you lift 15lb dumbbells 5 times with your left arm and 5 times with your right, log it as a set of 5 at 15lbs, not a set of 10 at 30lbs. *'Barbells: '''Long handles (Must be gripped with two hands). Typically adjustable, have disc-shaped weights called plates that can be added to the ends. However, many gyms do have sets of fixed-weight barbells. When logging barbell exercises, include the weight of the bar itself (Note: A standard Olympic weight bar weighs 45lbs/20kg) *'Kettlebells: A handle which can be gripped with one or two hands, attached to a single, centered weight. Fixed weight. *'Machines:' Machines are each built for one specialized purpose - they typically have a stack of weights and a pin that can be used to select how much weight to use, however some machines are plate loaded. The user moves handles, pads, or platforms on a designated track. *'Cable:' A variation of machines, where the user pushes or pulls a handle which is directly attached to a cable. *'Bodyweight:' Any exercise that is done with the user's body as the primary source of resistance. I see a lot of versions of the same exercise. Why? Because, as mentioned, exercises that seem very similar will work the body in different ways. For example, dumbbell bench press puts a lot more emphasis on the chest and stabilizer muscles than barbell bench press, so most people cannot lift as much total weight with dumbbells than they can with a barbell. However, with a machine chest press, stabilization is taken out of the equation completely, and the levers and pulleys in the machine may also give you a mechanical advantage. I've found that for any free weight exercise I do, I can usually lift 1.5-3 times as much using a machine equivalent. It's due to these types of differences that multiple exercises that seem like they're the same are in the database. How do I know I'm entering the right exercise? There are a couple of ways to verify that the exercise you've entered is correct: # Look at the description. Most exercises on Fitocracy have a description associated with them that is shown in a dark gray box when you mouse over an exercise. For example, you can see part of this box in my previous pictures. #Look it up on The Exercise and Muscle Directory . This site is not associated with Fitocracy, but it is a good resource - Exercises are listed by which muscle they work. An animation of the workout, along with a fairly comprehensive description of it, are provided. For example, check out their page about the Push-Up . #Search the name of the exercise on Youtube or your preferred video community site. Typically you will find several videos where someone demonstrates the exercise, and often explains it, its benefits, and common mistakes to avoid in completing the exercise. How should I log my job, etc? The general consensus among Fitocracy's more experienced members is that you should not. The purpose of Fitocracy is to encourage you to take extra steps to improve your fitness, not to reward you for non-fitness related tasks you're already doing. Certain activities like yard work, shoveling snow, and moving boxes can be logged. How do I log P90X/Body Pump/30 Day Shred/Etc? *You can log a whole video as Boot Camp, or... *You can log each exercise individually. This thread details how to do this with several popular workout videos. Certain popular programs have tags. Enter the video that you are trying to log, and a list of exercises it contains will appear. Still can't find your exercise? Keep in mind, there are an enormous amount of exercises out there, so Fitocracy doesn't have all of them. Not all is lost, though. Here are some things you can do: *Log the exercise as the closest equivalent you can find. For example, P90X users might be familiar with Congden Curls, which are not listed on Fitocracy. These could be logged as Dumbbell Biceps Curls, or as Hammer Dumbbell Curls, which are both similar exercises. *You may ask about the exercise you're doing in the "How do I track this exercise? " thread *If you can't find a close equivalent, you can log it as Other Bodyweight, Other Weightlifting, or Other Cardio *If you think your exercise would be popular among Fitocracy users, post about it in the Missing Activities Thread Entering Exercise Parameters In order for the site to know how many points to give you, you have to enter some information about your exercise. We'll start out with weightlifting exercises, and a little bit of the commonly used vocab. *'Weight:' The amount of weight you lift. *'Rep: '''Short for repetition - How many times you do a single exercise. So, if you pick a weight up 5 times, you've done 5 reps. *'Set:' A set is comprised of 1 or more reps, done with the same weight, without taking a break. So if you lift a weight 5 times, take a short rest, and lift it 5 more times, you've done 2 sets of 5 reps each. In the example shown in the image to the upper right, I've logged 4 sets - 10 reps at 45lbs, 2 sets of 5 reps at 65lbs, and 3 reps at 85lbs. Note that if you are logging multiple identical sets (like my 2nd and 3rd sets), you can use the Copy Set button. There's also a Notes section: Anything you type there will be publicly displayed with that exercise, and will not affect your score. Bodyweight exercises have a similar logging system, except that weight is not a field you can enter. The method for logging cardio is a little different. Let's look at Running as an example. For all cardio activities, Time is one field you must enter. For activities like running, cycling, swimming, etc. You must also enter a distance. Note that at the top, there's a link that says "Advanced Options." Advanced options are available on some exercises (In resistance training and in cardio), and are a completely optional way to give a more in-depth description of the exercise you did, which will often change the amount of points you get. Click the link to expand and collapse the advanced options Sometimes, when logging multiple sets/sessions with advanced options, the fields may only appear for one first set. If you want to add options for multiple sets, click the Advanced Options link to collapse, and then again to expand, showing the options for all sets. Also, using the Copy Set function will copy all information from the advanced options, even if it is not displayed. Since not all cardio activities are distance-based (For example, sports, dancing, and martial arts), they will often have a drop-down menu that represents intensity instead. The intensity is mostly subjective, and represents how much effort you think you put into it. Submitting Your Workout and Receiving Points Once you've entered all the exercises you've done for the day, click the "Save Workout" button at the bottom of the page, and the site will calculate and display the points you've earned. If you have your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts linked to the site, you may also notice the logos of those sites at the bottom of the screen. Check the appropriate box to post workout details to the corresponding site. Personal Records You may notice that sometimes an exercise you've logged appears green with a star next to it - That means you've just achieved a personal record, the best set you've had for that particular exercise to date. Some notes about this, since the way it works might not be intuitive to some users: *For weighted exercises, a personal record is given for highest weight lifted first, the highest number of reps completed second, regardless of volume of weight lifted or points earned. So, if your personal record for a particular lift is 70lbs x 5 reps, you can set a PR by lifting 70lbs x 6 reps or 75lbs x 1 rep, but not 65lbs x 20 reps. *For distance-based exercises, it is longest distance first, lowest time second. So, if your PR is running a mile in 10 minutes, You can set a PR by running 1 mile in 9 minutes or running 1.1 miles in 15 minutes, but not by running 0.9 miles in 6 minutes. *For any single-paramter exercise (such as bodyweight exercise, or time-based cardio like boxing) PRs are given for highest reps or time. In any case, the number of points you earn for a given set doesn't factor into whether you earn a PR. Missed a day? Want to edit a previous day's workout? The date is displayed near the top left corner of the screen - use the arrows next to it to navigate to other days. You can add and edit workouts up to 4 days back. Should I wait to log? I don't want to cheat the system for double points. You will only receive points once for an activity during that day. So if you lift, track it, go run, and then track it you will only get points once for lifting, rather than each time you log it. Part Two: Points and Levels Understanding Points For any activity you log, you will be assigned a number of points. The amount of points you receive is based on what the developers feel is the fitness benefit of an activity, not necessarily the raw amount of energy used. So, for example, you might receive more points for running 1 mile than for walking 2 miles, since running benefits your cardiovascular conditioning more than walking does. Once you earn enough points, you'll be promoted to the next level (Commonly called "Leveling Up"). If you think that an activity doesn't earn you enough points, or earns you too many points, feel free to post your opinion in The Nerf/Buff Thread Leveling Up Advancing through the levels is a great way to stay motivated. Let's see how it's done. On your Track page, click the "show more" link in the bottom left corner of the screen, and you should have something that looks kind of like the screen capture to the right. *'Level:' Displays your current level. So, I am level 36. *'The Green Bar:' This shows the number of points you have at your current level, and the number of points you need to advance to the next level. So, I need another 38,000 points to get to level 37. Note that when you level up, your green bar will empty. You have not lost any points, that just shows your progress since your last level up. *'Challenges:' Shows group challenges you entered in: Ones that have not yet started, ones that are in progress, and ones that have finished. For more information, see the section on Challenges in the next post. *Duels: Currently only available to Hero members. *'Hero Rewards:' For inviting 10 friends to Fitocracy, you can earn a free month of Hero membership. *'Titles:' Currently available for Heroes only. Unlock titles, which will be displayed on your profile page. *Achievements *Quests As you increase levels, the points needed to level up will increase. Be sure to step up your game as you get fitter, so you can keep advancing through the levels. To see how many points you've earned in your lifetime, click the You tab, then click Dashboard Quests Quests are opportunities to earn additional points. If you click the Quests button shown above, you'll see something like the screen capture to the right. So, to start out with, click Available Quests to see quests that you have unlocked, but have not yet completed. Click Completed Quests to see ones you have already done. *'Title: The name of the quest *'''Points: How many points you receive for completing the quest. Note, that these points are given in addition to any points you would earn just for doing the exercise. *'Detail:' A bit of flavor text, followed by what you must do to complete this quest. Note that doing an exercise that is equivalent to/more difficult than the one listed in the quest often will not count toward completing the quest. For example, the quest Bench Press Novice reads "Perform Barbell Bench Press 135 lbs for 5 reps." You can only complete this quest by barbell bench pressing at least 135lbs for at least 5 reps. You will not complete this quest by doing dumbbell bench press, which is slightly more difficult, regardless of how much weight or how many reps you do. You also will not complete this quest for benching 130lbs for 20 reps, or 500lbs for 4 reps. A couple of notes about quests: *You can unlock more quests by leveling up, and by completing prerequisite quests. For example, completing Baby Widowmaker unlocks Beginner Widowmaker. *You cannot explicitly accept or reject quests. If you do not like a quest, you can choose to ignore it, and you can still complete a quest just by fulfilling the requirements, even if you have not viewed the quest. *Quests are designed to give you something to strive toward, but understand that the quests are designed so that not all people will be able to complete all of them. For example, one quest is to run a 5 minute mile - That's something that even my friends who ran competitively could never do. Achievements Achievements are similar to quests, except: *All achievements are available immediately, and do not need to be unlocked *Achievements do not give a points reward, but an emblem instead *Achievements are for major fitness milestones, and are typically more difficult to complete than quests To see which achievements you've earned, and how to earn more: #Click the Achievements button, shown above #Any achievement with a colorful emblem is one you've earned. Any achievement grayed out is one you have not earned. Its requirements are written below. Part Three: Other Site Functions Routines A routine is a saved set of exercises. This can be helpful if you're on an exercise program that has you do certain activities on certain days, or even for something like keeping the distance of your usual walk/run/bike route handy. To create a routine: As if you were tracking a workout, find all activities you wish to include. Note that you must fill in all mandatory parameters, like weight, reps, time, and distance. You can change them later, so I usually just fill them in with placeholder numbers. Once you're done, click the 'Advanced Save Options' link under your listed activities, and a set of 3 buttons will appear, and you can choose whether to log the workout, save it as a routine, or both. Once you've chosen your option, click the orange button. A dialogue box will appear, asking you to name your routine. This name will not appear to other users, so make it something you can easily remember. To load a routine: At the top left of the Track page, click where it says Routines. The exercise search feature will be replaced with a list of all routines you've saved. Click one, and the exercises will come up on the Track page as you saved it. You may add, delete, or modify any activity or set for that day without it affecting how your routine will load next time. Once it is to your liking, click 'Log Workout'. To delete a routine: Click the Routines button, and click the X next to the routine you would like to delete. To edit a routine: As it is now, it's not within the system to modify a routine. However, if you want a specific routine to load differently, I've found a workaround that will allow you to do that. #Load the routine #Make any changes to it you wish #Delete the routine in the routines list #Save the routine. Since the previous routine has been deleted, you may use its name again. Account Settings There is some information which you can choose to display on your profile page: Photo, Age, and About Me. To add, remove, show, hide, or edit any of these, click your photo at the top right corner of the page, and click where it says "Account Settings". This page will additionally allow you to edit some of your account information, connect to other sites, and also to switch between American and Metric measurements, and specify your gender. Email Notifications Fitocracy may send you emails related to the site and to your account. If you would like to control what Fitocracy emails you about, you can change that in the Notification settings. To access this, go to Account Settings, then click Notifications on the right side. Connect to Runkeeper, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr Fitocracy currently allows you to connect to your accounts on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Runkeeper. The benefit of doing this is that Fitocracy will recommend that you follow friends from those sites, allow you to post workouts and comments to your other accounts, and allow you to import workouts from Runkeeper. To connect to these sites, go to Networks under Account Settings, and sign in with your desired accounts. Note: In the past, there have been issues with Facebook connectivity. These issues can usually be solved by unlinking your Facebook account, and then connecting it again. Comments, Props, Flag, Share At the end of an activity, you may notice the options to Comment, Give Props, Flag or Share *'Comment:' Allows you to publicly post a comment about any workout or post, including your own. *'Give Props:' A way of showing another user that you think the comment or workout they posted is noteworthy, analogous to the Like option on Facebook. There are achievements for getting certain numbers of props. Use this for someone who posts something you think is cool, or has an awesome workout. *'Nuke:' Nuking a workout or post will hide it from your feed. If enough people nuke a single item, it will be hidden from everyone else's feed as well. If you see any post that is blatantly against the rules, such as blatant cheating (Someone claiming to have run 99MPH for 26 hours in a day, or 20 sets of 20 bench press at 600lbs, etc) or offensive material (racism, homophobia, etc) please email a link to it to info@fitocracy.com *'Share:' Sharing an item will repost it to your friends and groups, crediting the original author. Follow You have the option to follow other users. If you are following a person, their activity will be listed on your home page. To follow someone, first you have to get to their profile. This can be done either by: *Clicking their name wherever it appears on the forum or the main site, or *Searching for them in the search field at the top right corner of the Track page Once you've arrived at their profile page, click the gray "Follow" button on the right side of their profile page to follow them. Similarly, if there is someone who you are following who you no longer wish to follow, do the same thing - only this time, the button will be white and say "Unfollow." On your Profile page, on the left side under your About Me, you have the option to view a list of all the people you are following, and all the people who are following you. Tags Tags are a feature that make it easier to connect with other users based on geographic area, common interest (both fitness-related an non-fitness-related) and a variety of other factors. To add tags to your profile: #On your profile page, on the left side below Groups, find the Tags section. Click where it says Edit. #A text field will appear. Enter any tag you want to add into it, then click submit. Tags will appear in white bubbles. #If you want to remove a tag, click the X that appears on the bubble #Click Finished Editing when you're done To use tags, click any tag on your profile to display a list of users with the same tag Groups Groups, like tags, are another way to connect to users with similar interests. To join a group: #Click on where it says "Groups" at the top of the page #On the left side of the page, near the top, is a box where you can search for a specific group #Once you arrive at the group's page, click the gray "Join Group" button. #Once you're a member of a group, the Join button will be replaced by an "Invite Others" button. To the right of that is a wrench icon - use that to leave the group if you wish. The benefits of joining a group: *Workouts, and comments posted within the group by group members, will appear on your Home page *You will be on the group leaderboard, allowing you to compare your progress against that of other group members. *On the group page, you can click the "Chatter" tab to view discussions about topics relevant to the group. *You can participate in group challenges. To create a new group: #On the Connect page, scroll down and click Create Group on the left side #Fill out the fields and click Create My Group Challenges Challenges are fun ways to compete against other members of a group. A challenge can be made to see who can earn the most points in a given time, or do something more specific like see who can travel farthest on foot. Challenges have a start date and an end date, and you must opt in to a challenge; being a member of a group does not automatically sign you up for that group's challenges. To sign up for a challenge, you must do so by going to a group's challenge page, and signing up before the challenge begins. Duels Duels are similar to challenges, but are between two members. Only a Hero member can challenge a non-hero to a duel. If you don't want to be challenged, there is a setting you can change in the privacy section of your profile. Leaderboards The leaderboards allows you to see users ranked according to points earned either in their lifetimes, or in the past 7, 30, or 90 days. You can also filter by gender, or just restrict it those who you are following. To view the leaderboards, click where it says "Leaderboards" at the top of the page. Workout Graphs To view your history in any specific exercise in bar graph form, click the You tab, then click Performance, then select the exercise you wish to view from the drop down menu. You can view the entire graph at once, or mouse over any individual bar to show the date of the workout and details about it. Hero Membership If you like Fitocracy and would like to lend your financial support, Hero Membership is for you. It is currently available at the cost of $4.99 per month, and grants you access to the Duel feature, titles, and the exclusive Hero board on the forum, which has featured professional trainers answering questions, plus early access to any new feature that is released. Account Deactivation Decided that Fitocracy isn't for you? We're sorry to hear that. As of right now, users cannot delete or deactivate their own accounts, as there is a bug with it that can cause some major site malfunctions. If you no longer wish to use Fitocracy, please send an email to requests@fitocracy.com Category:Ultimate Beginner's Sticky Category:Backed-Up Forum Threads Category:FAQs Category:Resources